Method for the treatment of heavy hydrocarbon material



May 19, 1931. c. w. ANDRr-:wsa'r AL METHOD Fon THE TREATMENT oF HEAVY HYDEOCARBON MATERIAL Filed June 6. 192,9

Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES W.' ANDREWS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, :AND REG-INALD D. ROGERS, OF

BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO C. P.

T. DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF HEAVY HYDROCARBON MATERIAL Application filed .Tune 6,

hydrocarbon material in liquid form, and

more particularly to a method of treatment adapted Jr'or use with the heavy residues of various distillation and cracking processes.

This invention relates to the better utiliza- 'tion of heavy residues obtained from modern cracking stills and from the distillation of oils containing high percentages of asphalt, as for example, oils of California and Mexico.

The specifications for fuel oil usually limit the amount of free carbon and also the viscosity of the loil in such a way that unless the cracking process is stopped well within its possible range, these specications cannot be met. This is also true of heavy asphaltic residues or oils. u

By our method we propose to take the heavy residues or oils and heat them to a high temperature such as for example, 800 F.- to 1000 I". depending on the quality of the stck. .The operation is to reduce the formation of vapors in the heating coils to the extent that the carbon will not separate out enough to cause trouble in the coils.

In place of the usual flash chamber we propose t-o release the pressure and thus complete the vaporization vof the material practically either within a coking oven or in proximity to it in a column which may be superposed thereupon and in direct connection therewith.

'Ihe purpose of this method is to allow the heavy residue which is formed from the pri-x mary .heating to be deposited in a coking chamber in such way that further distillation can take place and the final residue be coked. By this method of operation the lighter fractions formed can pass 0E without being heated by the heat of the coking oper ation beyond thatextent which may be desirable and at the same time the non-volatile portions can reach the heating area 'and be cracked and distilled before the coke is actually formed. I

In one method of operation the heavy portion will be deposited upon a horizontal oor made up of either refractory material or special alloys suitable forthe purpose, and heated from below. In order to obtain a uniform Vprocess is a merchantable coke.

1929. Serial No. 368,997.

quality of coke it is necessary to maintain a liquid layer on top of the coke incorder to dis-` tribute the residue evenly over the Hoor of the oven and also to make it possible to further crack this material without overheating.

It is van object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for the treatment of heavy hydrocarbonfmaterial in liquid form.

It is a further object to provide a method in which distillation and cracking are carried out to a point where the solid residue of the It is an additional object to provide a method in which the coke made from the solid residue may be of a character and density suitable Jfor metallurgical purposes.

It is also an object to provide a method of treatment wherein the process is carried on with comparatively simple apparatus and in a manner adapted for commercial production.

It is a further object to provide wherein the material being treated is maintained under such pressure and/or velocity during its passage through heating coils, that the solid matter' and carbon suspended therein is not thrown down to clog the pipes.

It is an additional object to provide a method wherein the oils and volatiles recovered are not subjected to destructive heat after their liberation.

4a method the description proceeds.

We have shown in the accompanying drawing lsomewhat diagrammatically, one form o construction adapted for carrying out our improved method of treatment. In the drawing- The single figure is a diagrammatic vertical section vof the apparatus. Y

The oven or coking chamber 11 is provided 'with a floor 12, of heat resistant material, and a plurality of heatingflues 13 are provided extending belowthe floor. These 'lues 13 are connected through passages 14 with regenerators 15 through which pass the air and fuel for combustion in the iiues. The lower pass 16 of these regenerators is connected by passages 17 with the cross iiue 18. This Hue 18v f 20, to a stack 21. The other end of the flue 18 is shown as' connected by passage 22, controlled by valve 23, with the preheater 24. The stack leads from the heat exchange apparatus 24.

The inlet pipe 26 for the material to be treated, leads to the interior pipes 27 of the preheater 24 and these pipes 27 are connected tlirougha header to the outlet pipe 28. The baffles 29 are provided in the preheater 24 for the purpose of causing the hot gases to take a tortuous passage. The pipe'28 leads from the preheater 24 to the upper chamber 30 whichis superposed on the coking chamber 11 and in communication therewith. The pipe 28 is provided with the pressure reducing valve 31 and with the discharge nozzle 32, 'the latter being located in the chamber 30.

The chamber is provided with a plurality of sloping battles 33 adapted to cause the gases passing through the chamber to take a tortuous passage and to bring them into intimate contact with the liquid passing down through the chamber. The lower end of the chamber 30 is provided with a damper 34 which, in its open position, as shown in the drawing, serves to receive the liquid from the lowermost baffle 33 and to permit it to drop to the floor 12 of the coke oven 11. When moved to horizontal position the damper 34 closes off communication between the chamber 30 and the coke oven 11.

The top of the chamber 30 is connected by passage 35 with the cooling apparatus or condenser 36. This apparatus 36 is provided with the pipes 37 through which cooling water may be passed by means of the inlet pipes 38 and discharge pipe 39. The chamber 36 is provided with the outer passage 40 for carrying oil gases or vapors which are not con'- densed in the apparatus.

The condensate in the chamber 36 is collected in the conical bottom portion 41 and withdrawn through pipe 42, which leads to the pump 43. The pump 43 discharges into pipe 44 which pipe is provided with a branch 45 controlled oy valve 46 which branch may lead to any desired apparatus for storing or using the liquid. The pipe 44 is also provided with a second branch 47 controlled by valve 48, this branch leading to a distributing nozzle 49 located in the chamber 30.

In carrying out our improved method by means of the apparatus shown, the floor 12 of the coking chamber 11 will be brought to a coking temperature by means of combustion taking place in the iues 13 under the floor. The air andfuel for the combustion may be preheated in a second series of regenerator chambers 15, not shown. The heated products of combustion will pass down through the regenerators 15 and 16 and passages 17 to th'e flue 18. From lthis flue a portion of the hot gases may be led 0E through stack 21 and another portion led through the preheater 24 to the stack 25. By controlling the distribution of the gases to the stack 21 and the prelieater 24, any desired amount of heat may be transmitted to the material being treated in the preheater.

It will be understood that di'erent types of preheaters may be used and the passages and pipes may be arranged on the. counter-current principle. Additional direct heaters may also be used if desired.

The material being treated, which will be heavy hydrocarbon matter, in liquid form, will be introduced into the apparatus shown, through the pipe 26. It will be understood that this material may be previously treated in any desired form of cracking or distilling apparatus orother apparatus for the treatment of such hydrocarbons. When it reaches the pipe 26 it will be under pressure and maybe already heated. Its temperature will be raised in the pipes 27 in the preheater 24 and it will pass up through pipe 28 to the pressure reducing valve 31. It will be understood that the material will be under such pressure and/or velocity in the pipes 26, 27 and 28 as to prevent the separation of any vapors or volatilized fractions to such an extent as will permit the throwing down or deposition of entrained carbon or other heavy material likely to clog the apparatus. By means of the valve 31 the pressure will lbe suitably reduced and the material will be sprayed into chamber 30 through the nozzle 32.

Due to the reduction of pressure there will be a substantial instantaneous vaporization and release of gases and vapors in the chamber 30 which gases and vapors will ascend through the chamber and be drawn off through passage 35. The liquid residue will be deposited onto the inclined baiiles 33 and will run down these balles and drip from their edges, eventually being y deposited upon the floor 12 o'f the coking chamber. During the flow on the baffles 33 and the dr1p from baille to baffle, the liquid will be exposed to the action of the ascending gases and vapors. Cracking vand vaporization will take place on the Hoor 12, the gases and vapors ascending through the chamber 11 and chamber 30 and passing oil with the gases and vapors from the discharge nozzle 32. The rate of deposit of the liquid residue on the floor 12 will normally be so regulated as to maintain a thin liquid layer on top of the coke layer being formed on the floor. This thin liquid layer insures the deposition of a substantially uniform layerof coke throughout the Hoor area. The gaseous products of the process passing oli' through passage 35 are partially condensed by the cooling coils 37 lin the condenser 36, the outlet gases passing off through passage 40 to additional condensers and any suitable gas Aholding or using apparatus.

The liquid condensate collected in the lower portion 41 of the apparatus 36 may be partial- 1y returned to the chamber 30 for control and/or further treatment. The quantity of this return will be regulated by means of the valves 46 and 48.

The process will be periodically interrupted, the damper 34 being turned-to close off the upper chamber or tower 30 from the cooking chamber 11. During this period of interruption the ends of the coking chamber 1'1 will be opened and the layer of coke formed. in the chamber will be removed. It will be understood that the flow of liquid material into the chamber 30 may be interrupted some time prior to the closing of the damper 34 if desired, and the coking continued in the chamber 11 to completely coke the liquid layer then remaining on the coke. After the coke has been removed the damper 34 may be opened and the process continued.

It will be understood that the showing in the drawing is somewhat diagrammatic in character. In one specific example of carrying out the method the heav liquid was at a temperature of 500o F. at the pump which forced the liquid through an extended pipe line to the coils, the pressure being 350 pounds per square inch at the pump. The pressure was 325 ponndsper square inch at the beginning of the hot coil and dropped to 175 per square inch at the outlet of the coil. The temperature was'800o F. at the point of discharge into the coking chamber. The coil consisted of 310 feet of 1% inch pipe and 230 feet of 1 inch pipe. The coil served -to raise the temperature from 500 to 800 F.

While we have shown somewhat diagrammatically one form of apparatus adapted for carrying out our invention and described certain methods of carrying it out, it is to be understood that our invention may be carried on in other forms of apparatus and that it is capable of changes and modilications to meet varying conditions 'and' requirements, and we contemplate such ,changes and modiications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. vllhe method of converting heavy hydrocarbons in liquid -form into lighter hydrocarbons and coke ina chamber aving a Hat floor heated from below which comprises raising the hydrocarbons to a high temperature while lowing in a stream under a pressure sufficient to prevent undue vaporization, releasing the pressure, removing vaporized hydrocarbons and discharging the unvaporized hydrocarbons directly onto the heated iioor of said chamber or onto the coke deposited thereon by the cracking and vaporization of the unvaporized hydrocarbon, and

further removing vaporized lighter hydrocarbons.

ization of the unvaporized hydrocarbons, andv further removing vaporized lighter hydrocarbons, the Hat floor being heated to a temperature sufficient to crack the unvaporized hydrocarbons and reduce the residue to a layer of hard, metallurgical coke.

3. The method of converting heavy hydrocarbons in liquid form into lighter hydrocarbons and coke in a chamber having a flat floor heated from below which comprises raising the hydrocarbons to' a high temperature while flowing in a stream under a pressure suiicient to prevent undue vaporization, releasing the pressure, removing vaporized hydrocarbons and discharging the unvaporized hydrocarbons directly onto the heated floor of said chamber or into the coke depositedthereon by the cracking and vaporization of the 11nvaporized hydrocarbons, further removing Vaporized lighter hydrocarbons, the flat Hoor being heated to a temperature suiiicient to ,crack the unvaporized hydrocarbons and reduce the residue to a layer of hard, metallur-` gical coke, and condensing heavier fractions of the vapor from the chamber and returning them to the chamber for further cracking treatment.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 4th day of 

